Wellness is no longer something reserved for spa visits or occasional vacations. Increasingly, it is becoming part of the spaces where people live, work, travel, and connect.
New research from the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) reveals that wellness real estate has become one of the fastest-growing sectors within the global wellness economy. The market has grown from approximately $225 billion in 2019 to more than $548 billion in 2024, with projections suggesting it could surpass $1 trillion globally by 2029.
Across North America, the shift is already becoming highly visible. Luxury resorts are expanding wellness-focused accommodations, residential communities are prioritizing healthier environments, and developers are increasingly designing spaces that support physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
Features once considered luxury amenities are quickly becoming part of mainstream hospitality and residential design. Advanced air and water filtration systems, circadian lighting, thermal wellness experiences, meditation spaces, recovery lounges, biophilic architecture, and nature-integrated design are increasingly influencing how hotels, resorts, and communities are being built.
According to GWI’s latest report, Build Well to Live Well: The Future, wellness real estate is evolving far beyond fitness centers or spa-inspired branding. Today’s developments are increasingly designed to support better sleep, stress reduction, social connection, movement, mindfulness, and long-term health.
The movement is especially noticeable within wellness travel and hospitality. Modern travelers are increasingly seeking destinations that help them recharge physically and emotionally through restorative environments and thoughtfully integrated wellness experiences.
From desert wellness retreats and Nordic spas to thermal circuits, longevity programs, recovery therapies, and nature-driven escapes, hospitality brands are recognizing that wellness is becoming central to the guest experience rather than simply an added amenity.
North America continues to play a leading role in this evolution, with wellness-focused hotels, mixed-use developments, branded residences, and retreat-style communities expanding throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
At the same time, the broader wellness economy continues to surge. GWI estimates that the global wellness economy reached $6.8 trillion in 2024 and could approach $10 trillion by 2029, reflecting growing consumer interest in healthier, more balanced lifestyles.
For the spa and wellness industry, the rise of wellness real estate represents an important shift. Wellness is no longer limited to treatments or temporary escapes. Increasingly, it is being integrated directly into architecture, hospitality, community planning, and everyday living.
As the lines between wellness travel, hospitality, design, and healthcare continue to evolve, the future of wellness may ultimately be defined not only by where people go to relax, but by how the spaces around them help support healthier, calmer, and more connected lives.
